Expression of 2 transcripts of NGX6 gene in colorectal cancer and the correlation with carcinoembryonic antigen.

Abstract

To investigate the expression and function of NGX6-S (short transcript) and NGX6-L (long transcript) in colorectal cancer. In situ hybridization was used to detect the expression of these 2 transcripts in colorectal cancer tissues and paired normal tissues, and analyze the correlation between NGX6 and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). The expression of NGX6-S was higher than that of NGX6-L in the colorectal cancer tissues (P=0.008). The expressions of NGX6-S and NGX6-L were not different among the 4 stages of colorectal cancer (P>0.05). The expression of NGX6-S in the colorectal cancer tissues of Duke A, B, and C stages had no difference with that of the paired normal tissues (P>0.05). Inversely, the expression of NGX6-S in the colorectal cancer tissues of Duke D stage was lower than that in the paired normal tissues (P=0.033). NGX6-L expression was not different between the colorectal cancer tissues and the paired normal tissues in 4 stages(P>0.05).The expression of NGX6-S and NGX6-L had no correlation with the serum concentration of CEA. NGX6-S may play an important role in colorectal cancer, and the lowered expression of NGX6-S may contribute to the distant metastasis of colorectal cancer.